The "Wall's" Peninsula Game of the Week - Bethel Rains on Denbigh's 50th Homecoming With 27-9 Win

NEWPORT NEWS -- The Denbigh Patriots celebrated their 50^th Homecoming in royal fashion on Friday.  But it was the Bethel Bruins who left Todd Stadium with the crowning win, 27-9.

Bethel RB DeAndre Gillis #22

With the victory, Bethel improved to 5-4 and fastened its hold on the #5 seed in the 5A South (East) rankings. Denbigh dropped to 4-4 and may lose its fourth seed in the 4A East (Tidewater).

The Bruins capitalized on a strong running game, which gained 246 yards on 46 carries. Leading the way was Janaz Jordan. Jordan, at 6’3”, 255 lbs., entered the game with only 15 carries for 39 yards on the season. But the fullback bruised for four carries and 46 yards on the Bruins’ initial drive, including the six-yard touchdown run to give Bethel its first score. Jordan finished the game with 120 yards and two touchdowns.

The Patriots opened the game with an 11-play, 61-yard drive, capped by a 22-yard field goal from Gerardo Aguilar. But after the initial Patriot score, Bethel ran off 27 unanswered points.

In the second quarter, Bethel started winning the battle of field position, and after a 16-yard punt return from T.C. Chisley, found itself with first down on the Denbigh 34. The Bruins worked the ball down to the 15, but found itself with fourth-and-2 from the Denbigh 7. Chisley attempted a quarterback sneak, but kept his legs moving underneath him and bulldozed into the end zone, giving the visitors a 14-3 lead, which they took into halftime.

Late in the third quarter, Chisley found Marcus Pegues streaking down the left sideline and hit the receiver in mid-stride for a 35-yard touchdown. Ironically, it was Bethel’s only pass completion of the evening.

Denbigh’s Shaquan Jones snuck into the end zone on a one-yard run as time ran out .

BETHEL –   7, 7, 13, 0 -- 27

DENBIGH -  3, 0, 0, 6 -- 9

First quarter

D – Aguilar 22 FG

B – J. Jordan 6 run (Vassilakopoulos kick)

Second quarter

B – Chisley 6 run (Vassilakopoulos kick)

Third quarter

B – J. Jordan 24 run (kick failed)

B – Pegues 35 pass from Chisley (Vassilakopoulos kick)

Fourth quarter

D – S. Jones 1 run (game ended – no XP)

                    Beth  Denb

First downs;    10, 10

Rushes-yards;  46-246, 33-85

Passing yards;   35, 77

Comp-att-int;   1-2-0, 10-25-0

Penalties-yards; 11-77, 4-26

Punts-avg;      6-30, 4-32

Fumbles-lost;   2-2, 0-0